Iranian President Meets Kazakh Counterpart

Service : Politic

TEHRAN, June 14 (ICANA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who arrived in Astana earlier today to attend a summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, met with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev this afternoon.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011 7:25:02 PM

Astana hosts the 10th SCO heads-of-state summit.

The Iranian president arrived in Astana airport at midday and was welcomed by top Kazakh officials, including the country's Prime Minister Karim Masimov, upon arrival.

Ahmadinejad held a meeting with the Kazakh premier after his arrival, where Masimov hailed Iran's membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and said Tehran's presence enhances SCO's importance and position.

The Iranian President is also due to meet with Russian president later today.

Meetings with Iranian diplomats and expatriates in Kazakhstan are also on Ahmadinejad's itinerary.

President Ahmadinejad is due to make an official address at the SCO summit meeting on Wednesday.

The Iranian president is accompanied by several high-ranking officials, including Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Chief of his Staff Esfandyar Rahim Mashayee and his senior Aide Mojtaba Hashemi Samareh, during the two day visit.

Iran currently holds an observer status in the group and applied for full membership in a request filed on March 24, 2008.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai, China, by the Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik, Uzbek and Chinese heads of state.

SCO member governments include China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as four formally designated observer countries, namely Iran, India, Mongolia and Pakistan.